Screeding and floating machine for cement floors



July SQ 1941- K H. H. NlcHoLs y 2,248,247 f scREDING AND FLOATING'MAGHINE'FOR CEMENT FLOORS 'Filed Nov. 18, 1939 GO0000006000OOOGOOOOOOGGGGOOGOOOQOOOO- INVENTOR Patented July 8, 1941 .s Parar ortica SOREEDING AND FLOATING FR CEMENT FLOORS This invention relates to screeding and floatingl machines for cement floors and it has for an object to make the top cement coatingr of floors level amd: of uniform. compactness and a further object of the machine is to save labor in surfacing cement oors. These and other objects of the invention willl be more particularly understood from the following speciiication and the :accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan View of the machine Fig. 25 is a side elevation. of the machine cor responding. to Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section. on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectionon line 5 5 of Fig,I 2, and

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a. modified form of the floating member of the machine.

Surfacing machinesY for concrete roadways are Well known in the art, an example of which is shown in U. S. Patent 1,982,387, November 27, 1934. rIhese are usually heavy machines adapted for use on slush concrete Where thev mix uses fairly large gravel or crushed stone with a Water content which makes it readily new. In the surfacing of floors for buildings and the like these machines are not suitable because their Weight makes them inconvenient to handle and they are not adapted tov the so-called dry mix concrete with the relatively small sized stone or gravel Which does not flow as freely as the slush concrete and these machines do not provide for a uniform layer compacted to the same extent throughout, with a level surf-ace, without ridges or ripples.

The present machine is adapted for floor surfacing of cement floors by applyingr the topping to the concrete base slab of the floor. The aggre- 1" gate for this topping may comprise the portions of 1-1-11/2 or 1-1-2 cement, sand and coarse aggregate Which Will pass through a. sieve having openings between 1A; and of an inch, mixed with a limited quantity of Water so that the concrete will be stiff and uniform and easily compacted but Will not flow as the ordinary lslush concrete does. The compacting is necessary in order to obtain a proper bond between the base and top and `to secure a dense, durable surface. f

base slab, and while the grout is still soft, is

spread evenly over same with a shovel or rake and sui'liciently above the surface to provide for compacting the loosely placed material'. The machine comprises two parallel frame mem-bers er blades which are pivotallly connected to provideI for a free, reciprocating motion: of they forward frame member relative to the rear frame member. A motor is mounted on the rear frame member connected by an operating mechanism with the front frame member to impart reciprocating motion thereto. Adjustable weights are also mounted on the' rear frame member to provide the necessary pressure for maintaining the machine level in operation.

The aggregate accumulates against the reciprocating member as the machine moves forward. This member is provided with an inclined plane rising upwardly from the bottom edgeA and above this plane a horizontal row of` teeth are secured to the reciprocating member, so that` in operation by the forward and reciprocating movements of the machine the teeth separate a predetermined section of the concrete above the level of the door and adjacent to the inclined plane. The inclined plane compacts a portion of the concrete.V that has been separated and compacts and floats it into the top finish'k of the floor.

When deposited, the concrete hasl an open stmcture due to the limited quantity of Water used inthe mix and by forcing it through the inclined plane under the reciprocating member it is uniformly compacted which insures a proper bond between the base and the top and provides a dense, durable surface which is level and only requires nishing by troweling. This produces a smooth surface and prevents separation of the coarse from the fine material, minimizes shrinkage and keeps the coarse material at the surface to increase the resistance to Wear. In the Wet mixes the Water and the ner particles of the mix tend to come tov the surface in finishing which reducesthe Wearing qualities of the floor.

An advantage of the compact, dry mix is that the men can vwalk on the newly finished surface for trovveling, or other operations, Without injuring the surface.

In the drawing, II is the rear frame member of the machine and I2 is the front frame member which is pivotally connected to the member II by the cross plates I3 hinged to II and I2 by the hinges I4, Fig. 4. A plate I5 is riveted at I6 to the rear member Il and through the bracket I3 and roller I9 is supported'by the angle Ztl on the front frame member I2 which is spaced from the plate i5 as indicated at Il, Fig. 3. A

projection is provided at each end of plate I5 above the frame member I2 as indicated at 23 in Fig. 5 which engages the roller 22, mounted on the bracket 2| secured to I2. From this construction it will be noted that the vertical movement of plate I5 relative to I2 is taken up on the rollers I9 and 22.

The motor is mounted on plate l5 and through belt Wheel 26, belt 21 and belt wheel 28 drives shaft 29, mounted on the bearings secured to plate I5. 'Ihe shaft 29 is provided with an eccentric disc 3l to which the pitman 32 is connected and is pivotally connected by stud33 to the reciprocating frame member I2. This provides a rapid, horizontal movement for the frame member I2, transverse to the screeds 53 which define the limits of the section of floor operated upon.

The machine is provided with T-handles 35 at each end which are pivotally secured to the frame members I I and I2 and by means of which the machine may be moved by the workmen. When not in use these handles are folded down against the frame. A plate 31 is secured to the member II by the bolts 38 in the slotted holes at each end of the frame. Each plate is provided with an upstanding stem 39 and upon this stern a series of weights 40 are placed to load down the machine to the extent desired. A pipe rail 4I may be provided as a convenient means of moving the machine forward.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 the frame members I I and I2 are made in the form of a box girder, however, other forms may be found necessary according to the conditions under which the machine is to be used. The frame member II is provided with a shoe 52 made from a T-section of rolled steel which is detachably secured to II by bolts so that it may be replaced when worn.

A similar shoe 5I is secured to a reciprocating frame member I2. Shoe 52 is provided with an upward incline at 55 and shoe 5I has a similar upward incline at 56 in the direction of movement of the machine so that the shoe does not ruffle the surface of the finished floor. The rear of the shoes 5I and 52 are correspondingly inclined upwards at 54, Fig. 4, so as to avoid injuring the surface when the machine is moved back- Wards.

An inclined member 51, supported by the rail 59 is secured by the bolt 60 in front of the reciprocating member I2 as shown in Fig. 3 and this member is provided with a horizontal row of projecting teeth or fingers 6I at the top of the incline. The lower end of the inclined member 51 may be made with a hook engagement for the inclined portion 56 of the shoe 5I as indicated at 58. This separates the shoe 5I from the inclined member 51 and enables inclined members of different angles to be attached to I2.

In the construction in Fig. 6 the shoe 1I is made from sheet stock to which the U-shaped attaching member 12 is welded. 'Ihis shoe is bent to form the inclined plane in front of the machine, and above the inclined plane the vertical portion 13 carries the horizontal teeth 6I. The upper portion is bent horizontal at 14 and is engaged by the collar 15 on the adjusting bolt 16.

This bolt is vertically adjusted in the bracket 11, t

secured to I2 by the nuts 18. The steel of the shoe is resilient and may be adjusted by bolt 15, up or down as indicated by the dotted lines.

In some cases, pulverized material, such as iron filings, are spread over the surface of Iloors before the cement sets. For this purpose a hopper is provided at 89, supported by arm 8|, secured to I2 at 82so that the reciprocating of I2 shakes the hopper 89 and delivers a stream of filings to the surface between the members II and I2. The member II in passing over the oor presses the pulverized material into the floor surface.

The Weight on the reciprocating member I2 is adjusted by moving the plates 31 on the slots for the bolts securing the plates to I I. The weight may befurther adjusted by sliding the motor 25 on its securing bolts to plate I5, Fig. 3.

The operation of the machine will be understood from Figs. 2, 3 and 4, in which the frame members II and I2 are mounted on the screeds 53 and moved forward against the concrete mix b which accumulates in front of the machine and excess material may be removed by a shovel moving along the rail 5.9. It will be noted that the teeth El separates the concrete mix on the line a and in front of the incline 51 to be compacted into the floor surface c, thereby providing a concrete top surface for the oor Which has a predetermined thickness and has a predetermined portion of the mix compacted into this cross section of oor, making it uniform, level, and suciently compact for a man to walk over it. Without the inclined plane 51 and the separating action of the teeth EI the concrete would compact in front of the member I2 and produce ridges in the surface and prevent forward movement of the machine. After the machine has been moved over the surface on the screeds and compacted, the screeds can then be removed and the machine moved over the compacted surface as a finishing operation.

Ijlaving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A machine for surfacing concrete oors with dry mix concrete comprising a first frame member moved on the fioor on screeds, a second frame member, parallel with the rst member and pivotally connected thereto and having a free reciprocating motion with relation to the first member, a motor secured to the rst frame member and movably supported by the second frame member, means connecting said motor with the second member to reciprocate the second member, shoes provided for said members to slide on the screeds, an inclined member projecting upwardly and forwardly from the shoe on the reciprocating member, a parallel row of teeth projecting from said inclined member above the floor level into the dry mix concrete to separate the portion of the mix above the teeth from a predetermined portion below the teeth to enable the predetermined mix in front of the inclined portion to pass under and be compacted by the shoe of the reciprocating member as the machine is moved forward on the iloor against the concrete mix.

2. A machine for surfacing concrete floors with dry mix concrete comprising a frame member moved on the floor on screeds, a second frame member parallel with the first member and pivotally connected thereto and having a free reciprocating motion with relation to the first member, a motor secured to the first member and movably supported by the second frame member, means connecting said motor with the second member to reciprocate the second member, shoes provided for said members to slide on the screeds having the edge inclined upwardly, an inclined member engaging the upwardly inclined edge of the shoe secured to the reciprocating member, a parallel roW of teeth projecting above the floor level from said inclined member into the concrete mix in front of the machine to separate the portion of the mix above the teeth from a predetermined portion below the teeth to enable the mix in front of the inclined portion to pass under and be compacted by the shoe of the reciprocating member as the machine is moved forward on the floor against the concrete mix.

3. A machine for surfacing concrete floors with a dry concrete mix comprising a spreading blade operated against the mix as it is moved forward, means for reciprocating said blade, the base of said blade having a front member upwardly and forwardly inclined with a horizontal row of teeth therein spaced above the fioor level engaging the loose mix in front of the spreader blade to separate a definite portion of the mix and force it under the spreading blade as the blade moves forward.

4. A machine for surfacing concrete iioors with a dry concrete mix comprising a spreading blade operated against the mix while it is moved forward, means for reciprocating said blade and means on the blade spaced above the floor level for separating a definite portion of the loose mix in front of the spreader blade and compacting it into the oor to produce a uniform density in the finished oor.

5. A machine for surfacing concrete floors,com prising a frame member moved on the licor, a

second frame member parallel with and spaced from the first frame member and pivotally connected thereto and having a free reciprocating motion with relation to the first member, a motor secured to the irst frame member and movably supported by the second frame member, means connecting said motor with the second member to reciprocate the second member, a shoe for each of said members engaging the surface of the floor and a hopper with pulverized material located between said members and rocked by said reciprocating member to spread the material on the surface as it is being finished.

6. Amachine for surfacing concrete floors comprising a frame member moved on the floor on screeds, a second frame member parallel with the rst member and pivotally connected thereto and having a free reciprocating motion with relation to the first member, a motor secured to the iirst frame member and movably supported by the second frame member, means connecting said motor with the second member to reciprocate the second member, a shoe for said second member sliding on the screeds, said shoe being made from sheet stock and secured to the bottom edge of the frame member, said stock being resilient and inclined upwards from the bottom and forward of the machine and having an extension, and an adjusting bolt engaging said extension and a bracket secured to the frame member supporting said bolt.

HARRY H. NICHOLS. 

